While our goal in life should be to become reciprocating selves, when God entered into covenant with Noah and Abraham, He did not expect reciprocity

God's covenant with Noah

Noah's Sacrifice by Daniel Maclise

The central point of covenant is an unconditional commitment, which is demonstrated supremely by God.  Genesis 6:18 is the first biblical mention of a covenant.  God says to Noah, "I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark."  Noah is told by God what he must do: "[Take] your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.  And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female" (Genesis 6:18-19).  In Genesis 6:22 we read: "Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him."  In Genesis 9:9-10 God repeats this promise of covenant: "I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you."  Notice that the passage also indicates that this covenant is extended to include nonhuman creatures.

God's covenant with Abraham

Abraham's Journey from Ur to Canaan by József Molnár.

In Genesis 15:18 the covenant is extended to Abraham.  Genesis 17 amplifies on the covenant God made with Abraham:

The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him: "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.  And I will make my covenant between me and you, and make you exceedingly numerous."  Then Abraham fell on his face; and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations ... I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your offspring after you." (vv. 1-4, 7)

Genesis 17:9 focuses on Abraham's role in the covenant: "God said to Abraham, 'As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.'"

Neither Noah nor Abraham was offered any choice in matter and the covenant was not based on Noah or Abraham's keeping their end of the bargain

Noah's Thanksoffering (c.1803) by Joseph Anton Koch. Noah builds an altar to the Lord after being delivered from the Flood; God sends the rainbow as a sign of his covenant.

These two accounts reveal several important characteristics of God as the covenant-maker.  First, we see that neither Noah nor Abraham was offered any choice in the matter.  God's covenant offer was not "Now I am going to commit myself to you if this is your desire."  It is clear that the establishment of the covenant was based entirely on God's action.  God's offer was not contractual; it was not based on Noah's or Abraham's keeping their end of the bargain.  Whether Noah or Abraham accepted the covenant or not, God's commitment was firm.  The second thing we learn about God as covenant-maker is that he strongly desired (some might say commanded) a response from both Noah and Abraham.  The strength of God's desire did not, however, make his covenantal offer conditional.  God was not free to retract the offer if Noah or Abraham did not reciprocate.  God's offer was "an everlasting covenant."

The potential benefits or blessings were conditional upon Noah and Abraham's agreement to fulfill their end of the bargain

The Vision of the Lord Directing Abram to Count the Stars (woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld from the 1860 Bible in Pictures)

A third aspect of God's covenant was that the potential benefits or blessings it provided were conditional.  Noah and Abraham were given an option by God within the covenant.  If they were to benefit from the covenant, Noah and Abraham had to agree to fulfill their end of the bargain.  While receiving any of the blessing was conditional, the continuation of God's love was not conditioned on the nature of Noah's or Abraham's response.  A fourth observation is that God extended the covenant to more than just these two individuals.  Noah's and Abraham's families were included in the covenant as well.  In the case of Abraham God extended "an everlasting covenant" to "generations."  Even more extensive, God's covenant with Noah was extended to include "every living creature."  Further evidence of the unconditional nature of the covenant is the fact that Noah could not respond on behalf of the animals, nor could Abraham anticipate the obedience of his descendants.

Source: Balswick, Jack O., Pamela Ebstyne King, and Kevin S. Reimer, The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective, locations 548 to 571.